Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #19766 in DVD
• Released on: 2005-01-03
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Anamorphic, PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 114 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Bigger isn't always better, but for anyone who enjoyed Pitch Black, a nominal sequel like The Chronicles of Riddick should prove adequately entertaining. Writer-director David Twohy returns with expansive sets, detailed costumes, an army of CGI effects artists, and the star he helped launch--Vin Diesel--bearing his franchise burden quite nicely as he reprises his title role. The Furian renegade Riddick has another bounty on his head, but when he escapes from his mercenary captors, he's plunged into an epic-scale war waged by the Necromongers. A fascist master race led by Lord Marshal (Colm Feore), they're determined to conquer all enemies in their quest for the Underverse, the appeal of which is largely unexplained (since Twohy is presumably reserving details for subsequent "chronicles"). With tissue-thin plotting, scant character development, and skimpy roles that waste the talents of Thandie Newton (as a Necromonger conspirator) and Judi Dench (as a wispy "Elemental" priestess), Twohy's back in the B-movie territory he started in (with The Arrival), brought to vivid life on a vast digital landscape with the conceptual allure of a lavish graphic novel. But does Riddick have leadership skills on his resumé? To get an answer to that question, sci-fi fans will welcome another sequel. --Jeff Shannon

Synopsis
The sequel to cult sci-fi hit PITCH BLACK sees Vin Diesel enthusiastically returning to his role as Richard B. Riddick. Director-writer David Twohy is on board again, building on themes established in the first movie, and expanding his vision with some incredible special effects work. Twohy opens the movie with Riddick on the run from a group of bounty hunters. He escapes them with ease, then seeks information from an old friend named Inam (Keith David). Inam informs Riddick that he has been singled out by an Air Elemental, Aereon (Judi Dench), as the one man who can stop the evil Necromongers from taking over the Universe. Suddenly, the Necromongers arrive on the planet, causing mayhem and destruction. They capture Riddick. He soon escapes, only to fall into the hands of the bounty hunters he so deftly eluded at the start of the movie. They take Riddick to a rogue prison planet where he is met by scorching heat, an underground penitentiary, and his female companion from PITCH BLACK, Jack (who is now called Kyra, and played by a different actress, Alexa Davalos). They plan their escape from the planet, and vow to bring down the Necromongers. Things don't go according to plan however, leading to a suspense-filled climax to the film, and an eyebrow-raising ending that suggests Twohy may have plans for further installments in the story.

Customer Reviews

Directors Cut is the Better version
The Chronicles Of Riddick is not a bad film, i'm very surprised that so many people dislike it. It certainly was a bold attempt by writer-director David Twohy to go in such a different direction to Pitch Black, but they certainly acheived what they set out to do, which was expand the Riddick universe. This was acheived by creating some spectacular new worlds for Riddick to have his adventures on.

The Necromongers were a fresh idea, although the Lord Marshall could have been better cast as Colm Fiore was just not intimidating enough. Karl Urban as Lord Vaako did a much better job of playing someone who will do anything, no matter how evil, to get themselves were they want to be. Vaako and his wife (Thandie Newton) scheme throughout the movie to try and get Vaako as the new Lord Marshall. Watching them throughout is very entertaining.

I've heard people having a go at the prison Crematoria sequence and most notably the armour plated dogs. People think there is no reason for them to be in the prison, well this is just short sightedness by an audience more eager to pick out mistakes than enjoy themselves, a traight more and more people seem to be undertaking. Crematoria is a triple max prison, meaning only the most hardened criminals in the universe get sent there. There are about 8 guards in the prison and they seem like normal guys. How else would these people get the some of the most dangerous people in the universe back into their cells? Hello armour plated dogs!

Now, Riddick is by no means a brilliant film, and only the most eager of fans would genuinely give it five stars and mean it. But it is certainly not the disaster that some people and a lot of critics are calling it. It is an entertaining start to what will hopefully become a great trilogy. Any loose ends should be tied up in the next two movies, so maybe people need to have another look at The Chronicles Of Riddick. If you dont like the theatrical cut, then i recommend checking out the Directors Cut, which is undeniably a better movie. And who would deny that that ending was superb.

Complex & Quality Story - Don't Believe the Critics
I am a discriminating Sci-Fi fan, both literature and film, and I definitely do not agree with what professional critics had to say about this movie. I'm glad I didn't pay attention to the reviews and watched it for myself.

The story includes Dune-like intricacies (prophecy, conflicting character motives, foreshadow, plots within plots, weakness, multiple heroes, patience, questionable morality, rituals, inner challenges, sacrifice, etc.) but without the extended, drawn-out politics to slow the story. It is fast paced and entertaining along with the important issues and messages. The art in this film is breathtaking including the rocky fins and caves of the ice planet, the Necromonger ship; the sparkling seas, sands, and architecture of Helion Prime; and the brutal beauty of the jagged, glassy, and blistering Crematoria. The DVD version really showcases the artistic elements of this movie.

The film has a Conan flavor with the non-traditional and non-innocent hero doing the right thing instead of the easy thing, and getting involved though he doesn't have to. The superhero (and regular hero) qualities of the Riddick character are also a nice addition to the story: speed, protection of the weak, strength, ease of killing, frequent flying through the air during attacks/escapes, quick thinking, resistance to Necromonger mental intrusion, enhanced eyes for night vision (Achilles heel being light sensitivity), precision, gracefulness despite bulk, piloting skills, use of varied weaponry, respect for life, risk taking, etc. The combination of weaponry is also interesting - unique craftsmanship blades mixed with Sci-Fi technology weapons. However, the violence in this film is very tasteful, similar to the Zatoichi movies, where our hero is able to kill without a lot of blood and gore. There is also a similarity to Kurosawa stories as well, specifically Yojimbo and Sanjuro regarding the flawed hero and the motives of the characters.

The acting is first-rate. All of the actors did a fine job, but Vin Diesel's performance is truly exceptional. I had no idea he was so incredibly talented. (I always thought he was mainly an "eye candy" actor. Not so.) He is amazingly expressive throughout the movie without the use of his eyes at all. (They are surgically enhanced with no pupils and covered with goggles part of the time.) And his voice, diction, and inflection are obviously a product of natural talent, serious training, and careful attention to his craft. I now have a new appreciation for the quality of his work.

I would rank this film right up there with some of the greatest Sci-Fi movies of all time including Metropolis, Blade Runner, and Forbidden Planet; and the story itself merits comparison to classic Sci-Fi books such as the Robot novels, Dune, The Chronicles of Amber, and the Foundation series. I recommend people watch this film and judge its merits for themselves. I don't think the critics of this movie watched it very carefully.

J.H. Sweet, author of The Fairy Chronicles

Don't buy the commercial version - buy the directors cut
The very sad fact about this excellent film is that it was killed (in spirit at least) by the movie studio in an effort to make it more 'viewer friendly'. I have both versions of this film on DVD and I can say unequivably that the commercial release is horrid, I can't stand to watch it, but the uncut director version is nothing short of excellent, one of my favorite films - why? The directors cut fleshes out the plot in a much better way and sits together as a film more naturally. The commercial version is edited completely different and cuts out all the story aspects of the film, focusing on being an action movie rather than a true sci-fi film. In short it doesn't work, all action and no plot leaves the commercial version empty, souless, spoiled. If you love sci-fi and especially if you loved Pitch Black then buy this film, but please buy the real version and enjoy.